Upholstery Fabric

Tips On Cleaning Furniture

2012-01-18T00:56:00.001-08:00

For years of beautiful furniture, keep any pieces out of sunlight and away from heat sources. These can dry out wood, paint finishes, leather, and rot upholstery fibers.

Have you ever made the shocking discovery of a stain on the back of a favorite chair or a water mark on the top of the desk in your guest room? You really can't blame anyone. But you can fix it. We'll help you find how to clean any piece of furniture and keep it looking like new.

Painted Furniture
- Everyday Care
  Painted furniture is almost the easiest to keep clean. On a weekly basis, dust or wipe clean with a cloth dampened with water. Be sure not to leave water spots on the surface, as they'll dry and could leave permanent marks.
- Special Cleaning
  If your piece of painted furniture has stains on visible surfaces or nicks and scratches on it, you'll want to make whatever repairs you can. Gently sand down any mars, taking care not to damage more painted finish than you have to. Carefully glue and clamp any loose joints.
  Match the paint as best you can or select a new color of paint and restore the piece to near-perfect condition. Add an oil finish for greatest protection. Read more about cleaning painted furniture in these tips from eHow.com.
Wood Furniture
- Everyday Care
  Before you decide how to clean your piece of furniture, you need to determine what type of finish it has on it. You can find information about cleaners and conditioners for wood furniture and information on getting built-up finishes off to expose the beautiful wood underneath. Check these tips on caring for hardwood furniture from the American Hardwood Information Center.
  You should use a lint-free cloth to polish your furniture on a regular basis. Use just a little furniture polish on the cloth and rub the surface to get a beautiful shine.

Upholstered Walls - An Elegant Alternative

2010-05-16T02:48:00.000-07:00

One of the alternative choices in Interior design that has become rather popular in the last several years is upholstered walls. This elegant yet soft look can be achieved relatively easily with few tools and minimum experience. Try this project in an informal den, home office, or in the bedroom. A luxurious boutique hotel look can be achieved by mounting the panels behind a bed as a headboard.

The tools and basic materials to make your fabric panels are readily available and inexpensive to purchase. You will need particle board for your base panel. This can be cut to size, free of charge, at any local Lowe's or Home Depot. Velcro can also be purchased at these locations. Soft poly foam to pad the base, and fabric to cover it can be found at your area fabric shops. Depending on your budget and style different looks can be achieved by using different fabrics. Clean, simple lines can be achieved by using ducks, twills, or canvas. Plush, full sumptuous looks can be achieved by using velvet or chenille. Damasks and suedes add a feeling of richness and have become very reasonable in price with the advent of new weaving technologies and fibers.

1) Measure and cut your panels. Remove any trim from the wall you are covering. This includes any crown molding or chair rails. Measure carefully and divide the measurement into equal sized panels. Take your measurements to your local lumber yard and have them cut your panels to size. Use a pencil to mark the locations of the panels on the wall.

2) Cut a piece of 1 inch foam large enough to cover each panel. Add 6 inches to the width and length to allow for working the foam. 1 inch batting can also be used. Cut your fabric the same size (6 inches extra) as your foam.

3) Lay one inch two sided tape along the edge of your panel. This will hold the foam or batting in place while you attach the fabric. Place the fabric over the foam layer. Place fabric side down and wrap the extra 3 inches of fabric on each end around the panel. Using your staple gun and 1/4" staples, put one staple in the midpoint of each side. Make sure you pull the fabric firmly as you staple. Work your way around the panel, pulling, flattening, and stapling the fabric into place. Be aware of wrinkling and creases as you work your way around. Meticulous work during this stage will pay big dividends.

4) Cut lengths of heavy duty Velcro to the width of the panels. Use staples and your staple gun to attach the lengths of Velcro to the back of the panels. Staple corresponding side of the Velcro to the wall. Hang your panels by simply pressing them into place on your walls.

Stand back and enjoy your new, sophisticated, elegant upholstered wall!

By Mark Mehler

2010-03-10T05:57:00.000-08:00

How to Remove Cat Urine From Upholstery

Contributor

By eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating: (88 Ratings)

You know right away when it's happened - Fluffy has forgotten to use her litter box again. Here's how to get that urine out of your couch or chair upholstery.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Pet Stain Removers
White Vinegar
White Vinegar
Bacteria/enzyme Cleaners
Rubber Gloves
Rubber Gloves
Paper Towels
Paper Towels
Paper towels

Step1
Blot stain immediately with paper towels, absorbing as much fluid as possible.
Step2
Sponge stain with cold water.
Step3
Blot again with paper towels.
Step4
Mix solution of 1 tbsp. white vinegar and 2 cups warm water.
Step5
Dab vinegar and water solution on stain.
Step6
Apply a specialized stain and odor removing bacteria/enzyme cleaner, such as "Outright Pet Stain Eliminator," "Pet 'Oops' Remover," or "Stain Gobbler" if the urine odor persists; follow the manufacturer's directions.

Upholstery Cleaning

2010-01-28T17:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our site where we cover all things regarding upholstery and upholstery cleaning that let you know what to do and what not to do.

Upholstery Cleaning

Most people don’t realize how many things they purchase that contain upholstery. The most obvious items include furniture and cars, but upholstery is also common in office settings, bags and other merchandise.

The first step to upholstery cleaning occurs before you have any upholstery to clean. Yes, I am talking about understanding what you are buying. Some upholstery is easier to clean when compared to other types. When evaluating items for purchase, it vital you know what type of cleaning obligation you are buying into and we provide you with that information.

Once you buy a car, couch or so on, you are going to be faced with cleaning it at some point in time. There are do it yourself options with some upholstery fabrics, but others require the attention of an upholstery cleaning professional. You can find information in our articles section on doing it yourself or find a upholstery cleaning professional near you.

How to Select Upholstery Fabric

2010-01-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

Choose upholstery to suit your lifestyle as well as your decor. Here are some tips about common upholstery fabrics.

Instructions

1. Consider leather, because - although expensive - it can be a wonderfully rugged choice. It does lack the formality of a damask or brocade.
2. Think long and hard before going with vinyl. It's tough and easy to wipe off, but may not feel good against skin - it will feel cold in cool rooms and stick to skin in warm rooms. However, polyurethane faux leathers are supposed to have a better feel than polyvinyl chloride faux leathers.
3. Choose nylon for its resilient, long-lasting properties, and because any stains usually can be removed. For formal rooms, nylon velvet is a surprisingly durable option.
4. Make cotton a top choice: it's absorbent, feels cool against skin in warm climates and it's just as comfortable in colder climates. Heavier-weight cottons such as canvas and denim wear well, while polished ones such as chintz tend to weaken and split in just a few years.
5. Forgo linen in many situations. This tough fabric wrinkles easily and tends to feel stiff. It's expensive and needs care when cleaned to hold its color and shape.
6. Opt for wool in cool climates because it's strong and warm. Its drawbacks are moth problems and potential shrinkage.
7. Stay open to acrylic blends. They are washable and resilient while deterring shrinkage. Acrylic can lend a woolly appearance without the moth problems; however, pure acrylics tend to pill.
8. Look to polyester as an attractive choice - it is strong, resistant to wrinkles and it neither stretches nor shrinks. It can pill, but polyester-cotton blends combine the advantages of both of these fabrics.

The Right Steps on How to Clean Upholstery

2010-01-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

By: Brian Jones

Cleaning your upholstery can be easy if you do the necessary steps. There are proper steps on how to clean upholstery so you can remove the spilled drink or stains effectively.

1. The first step on how to clean upholstery is removing the large chunks of crust first. The crust can come from different food stains. The right way to remove it is scraping it off using the spoon. You can also use a spatula if the stain is still wet so u can scrape off almost everything. You should be careful that you donâ€™t rub the spatula on the upholstery.

2. The next step on how to clean upholstery is getting the vacuum and using it on the furniture. Then get a brush for dusting to clean the upholstery well. Most vacuums have this accessory. The brush will not work for wet stains so do not do this step anymore. Using the brush will only make the damage worse.

3. The third step on how to clean upholstery is applying a cleaner for upholstery. Most hardware stores sell it however you can also mix your own cleaner. The first thing to do to make your own mixture of cleaner is grabbing a measuring cup and filling one fourth of it with detergent for dishes. The detergent should be the biodegradable kind. Then pour it in a bowl with one cup of lukewarm water and then get the mixer. Beat the mixture with the electric mixer until it becomes very thick that it starts foaming.

4. The fourth step on how to clean upholstery is getting a brush with soft bristles and using it to rub the mixture of cleaner to remove the grime. The dirt will get mixed with the soapâ€™s foams. Then get the spatula and remove the foam with the dirt.

5. The fifth step on how to clean upholstery is wiping the suds away. You can use a damp cloth to rinse it. Make sure that there are no foams left. You can repeat this procedure if you still see some dirty spots. Drying the upholstery is the last step. You can use a fan to speed up the drying process. You have to make sure that it is really dry already or you might get mildew on it. Try these steps on just a single spot on your upholstery before doing it on the entire upholstery.

Please click these links if you want to know more about how to clean upholstery or how to clean upholstery in general.

10 home trends you can bank on in 2010

2010-01-03T16:14:00.000-08:00

STACY DOWNS • MCT NEWS SERVICE • JANUARY 3, 2010

Is glamour dying?

At the very least, it's being redefined during an uncertain economy as we approach the next decade.

"There's a change away from the hip modernism we've borrowed from hotels with all the Lucite, mirrored furnishings and bright yellow and turquoise geometric carpets," said interior designer Peter Dunham of Los Angeles, whose client list includes Ben Affleck. "We want comforting things. More American pie, less flash in the pan."

So what exactly is in store - and will be in stores - for our homes in 2010?

"More craft and things that have been touched by hand," said Keith Johnson, buyer-at-large for Anthropologie stores and the subject of the Sundance Channel's "Man Shops Globe." The eight-episode series followed Johnson to South Africa, India and across Europe as he sped through flea markets and met with artisans in search of Holy Grail furnishings and accents.

BLACK ON TRACK

Black walls are turning up in home mags and blogs, much bolder versions of the grays we've grown used to.

"Dark walls actually make smaller rooms look bigger," said Susan Bartlett Crater, granddaughter of Kennedy White House decorator Sister Parish. Crater and Libby Cameron this year wrote the book "Sister Parish Design on Decorating" (St. Martin's Press, $35). "Black also pops color in a sophisticated way."

Patricia Shackelford of Kansas City, author of the nationally recognized design blog "Mrs. Blandings," included a post on world-renowned interior designer and Kansas City native Thomas Britt's black walls of the 1970s. Some of the rooms looked as if they could have been ripped from modern magazines that feature black rooms with crisp white trim and accents.

Designer Peter Dunham is even seeing black in furniture upholstery, such as black Chesterfield sofas. And Edwardian-like black coincides with what's popular in fashion, he says.

TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WE GO

We've heard "this ain't your grandma's ..." A new buzz phrase just might be "that's so granny."

Patricia Shackelford thinks we'll see more patchwork quilts, hooked rugs, needlepoint and chintz.

"On 'Top Design,' a contestant (Ondine Karady) was criticized for being too 'grandma' for using a crocheted throw," Shackelford said. "Actually, she was on to the next trend."

Shackelford said it's the return of Sister Parish design, using heirlooms or pieces with history. "It's a way to bring comfort to formality," she said.

Susan Bartlett Crater said using family pieces can be stylish. "My grandmother always said houses should be receptacles of memories," Crater said. "What better way than using grandmother's things?"

GRAFFITI FURNITURE

Antiques in recent years have become more affordable. But some pieces can be unwanted, drab even, and call for help.

"Antiques don't always have to be these sacred things," Keith Johnson said. "They can be reinterpreted."

When "Man Shops Globe" visited Belgium, Johnson asked an artist to breathe new life into a wooden Louis XV headboard by spray-painting it, graffiti-style.

Graffiti artists have over time earned street cred, and some have gained respect.

MADE IN THE U.S.A.

In 2010 and beyond, a "made in the U.S." label will resonate strongly with buyers, because people want to strengthen the economy. Buying more local items also is better for the environment.

HOMESTEAD CHIC

More of us are growing vegetables, crafting our own cheeses and battling city hall to keep chickens in our backyards. Just as we've been reconnecting with the land, look for that bond to strengthen in the rest of the home. We'll use more locally harvested wood and reclaimed barn wood.

We're becoming fonder of burlap-style grain-sack and rustic linen pillows. The fabrics follow on the heels of the classic rural European look popularized by Belgian designer Axel Vervoordt. He sparingly mixes industrial furniture with worm-holed unstained wooden pieces. Restoration Hardware's latest furniture seems to be directly inspired by Vervoordt, Peter Dunham and Patricia Shackelford say.

FLEA MARKET FRENZY

Many made their first visits to flea markets and thrift stores in 2009, a trend that will get even bigger in the new year.

(3 of 3)

A recent visit to the Salvation Army store turned up 48-cent pieces of classic creamy Ironstone dishware.

"People aren't doing the full-scale bathroom and kitchen re-dos they were a few years ago," Dunham said. "But they can easily perk up a room with textiles or a new lamp."

"Wary Meyers' Tossed & Found: Unconventional Design From Cast-Offs" by Linda and John Meyers (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $27.50) features how-to ideas for Aunt Millie's stuff and thrift-store finds.

INNOVATIVE RECYCLING

In an episode of "Man Shops Globe" in which Keith Johnson travels to South Africa, he talks about how recycled items will be purchased only if they are beautiful. On a visit to a store called Magpie, he fell in love with a chandelier made of Barbie legs and milk-bottle caps. At the end of the show, we learn President Barack Obama commissioned a $4,800 recycled chandelier for his daughters' room at the White House (based on Johnson's recycled find).

DESIGN MAGAZINE EVOLUTION

Two popular design magazines, Domino and Metropolitan Home, published their last issues in 2009. On the upside, 2009 saw the start of a new online-only magazine called Lonny (www.lonnymag.com). We wonder if there will be more.

CONVERGING LIKE CRAZY

We anticipate more design apps (short for applications) for our smart phones.

Sherwin-Williams in 2009 introduced color-matching software for the iPhone. You can take a picture on your phone and match it to a paint color, which is highly useful now that camera phone quality has improved.

LAUGHTER INDUCING

We don't mean talking Jerry Seinfeld bobbleheads, although those would be stellar desk toys. What we do expect to see are more imaginative everyday household items designed to tickle our funny bones.

Keith Johnson recently visited Design Miami, a show that is gaining prominence worldwide, and "Grandfather Clock" got his attention. It's a large wooden piece with a clock face in which a blurry gentleman on a screen keeps passersby up to the minute by erasing the old time with a paper towel and redrawing the current time with a dry-erase marker.

"We need things that make us laugh," Johnson said. "Or at the very least, make us smile."

Found store owner helps transform vintage home furnishings

2009-12-21T00:22:00.000-08:00

By Myron Kukla | The Grand Rapids Press

December 20, 2009, 1:00AM

Mark Copier | The Grand Rapids PressA new look: Susan Steiden-Langejans, right, and Sue Vanderveen complete restoration of an old chair in the Found store workshop.

HOLLAND — Gracie the cat knows her place inside Found, an eclectic furniture and home furnishings store, at 203 E. Eighth St.

Gracie sleeps in a 1950s-era suitcase converted with colorful padding and pillows into her bed by store co-owner Susan Steiden-Langejans.

“We find new uses for things that people maybe don’t want anymore because they are dated,” said Steiden-Langejans, who owns the 2,000-square-foot store and workshop.

The store’s sole proprietor, she partners with sister-in-law Sue Vanderveen to update and upholster furniture. Also, Sherri Burmeister, creates new lighting designs for old lamps.

Unlike antiques that may be repaired or resold in the same condition, Found takes couches, chairs, hutches and tables and reinvents them with new upholstery, paint and pillows.

We find things that have a retro feel and repurpose them into a new life with a new face.

“Pretty well everything we sell has been repurposed,” said Steiden-Langejans, who previously owned Roxy’s Vintage clothing on College Avenue.

Steiden-Langejans and Vanderveen like to work with furniture from the 1940s, '50s and ’60s because the items are often built with hardwoods for durability and features dovetailed joints on drawers.

Steiden-Langejans has a bachelor’s degree from University of Cincinnati School of Design, Art and Architecture.

She is the color and repainting specialist in the shop, while Vanderveen focuses on fabrics, creating pillows and furniture upholstery using vintage fabrics found at estate sales.

An outside firm does the store’s heavy upholstery sewing.

“A lot of what we do is custom work on furniture brought to us by customers. We talk with them about the ideas we have and decide on a design that will fit their homes,” said Vanderveen, who has a bachelor’s degree in interior design from the Kendall College of Art and Design.

Recently, artist Lindsey Scott opened a shop called Vagabond within Found that offers gifts and home decor with a retro flair.

Found’s hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. On Thursday, the store is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Stash Style in Chagrin Falls makes old things new again: Shop Talk

2009-11-20T17:52:00.000-08:00

By Laura DeMarco, The Plain Dealer
November 19, 2009, 11:25AM

Shannon Vance's store was "green" long before it was trendy. But don't expect a granola vibe at her fairy-tale-charming Chagrin Falls gift boutique, Stash Style.
Vance, who features home decor, gift items, furniture and vintage clothing in her ever-changing shop, goes "green" in the truest sense of the word. As in, making what is old new again.
She specializes in remaking and remodeling vintage furniture, clothing and decor with add-ons, color, fabric, stitching, upholstery, paint, whatever. Think shabby-chic meets Anthropologie.
"I like to reincarnate old pieces," says Vance, who has owned Stash Style for 41/2 years, and before that owned a similar store called Teacups in Lakewood for four years.
"We're trying to find funky ways to use the old again."
Vance finds items she revives trolling flea markets. She also turns her keen eye to craft shows, seeking artisans and crafters whose wares are unique enough to suit Stash Style.
In addition to the remade works, Stash Style has a lovely-but-not-cutesy selection of merchandise from wall hangings to socks, candles, soaps, greeting cards and more.
Vendors include Candra Squire (very funny greeting cards), Amelia Marie (greeting cards made using her grandmother's silhouettes from the 1940s), Beer Soap Co. (organic soaps made from dozens of brews), Cheri Christian (beautiful hand-knit items), Carrin Andress (hand-painted furniture), BCTZ (funky Cleveland T-shirts) and others.
And if all that shopping makes you hungry, the front of the store features a gourmet coffee and cupcake bar with pastries as beautiful as Vance's wares.
Shopping list
The Dancing Sheep: Charmingly unique (but not cutesy, despite the name), East Side gift boutique the Dancing Sheep will host a trunk show with knit artist Chris Triola from 5 to 8 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Triola, of Lansing, Mich., will feature her new collection of jackets, shells, pants and skirts. 12712 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland. Call 216-229-5770.
Benefit for Isla Mujeres, Mexico, Mayan Women's Beading Cooperative: A Cleveland Heights woman is doing her best to help the women of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Karen Rosenberg is opening up her house for a sale of handcrafted beaded jewelry made by a women's cooperative in Isla Mujeres. For sale will be necklaces, bracelets, medicine pouches, earrings and more. All proceeds go to the Mexican women. 3253 East Fairfax Road, Cleveland Heights. Call 216-321-0349.
MOCA ARTscape: More than 40 pre-eminent regional and national contemporary artists and craftspeople will sell wares at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland's annual ARTscape event, which doubles as a great art party in a world-class museum setting. Artists coming this year include Dan Pongallo (greeting cards), Gai Russo (aromatic and silver jewelry) and Jeff Yost (painting). Preview is 4:30 to 9 p.m. tonight; $5 admission. Free admission 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. 8501 Carnegie Ave., 216-421-8671.
Lakewood Wreath Sale: Get your start on holiday decorating with a 24-inch noble fir wreath from the Lakewood Historical Society. Adorned with a red-and-silver bow and glittery snowflakes, the wreaths are $30. Order at lakewoodmuseumstore.com or call 216 221-7343. Proceeds benefit the society.

Your Family Decorator: Palm Beach is Stirring, with Plenty to Discover

2009-11-16T16:42:00.000-08:00

By Carleton Varney
Friday, November 13, 2009

As Thanksgiving approaches, Palm Beach is stirring – and I hope the road work on South Dixie Highway across the bridge will be completed soon, so that Santa will be able to get his sleigh down Antique Row. And closer to home, I hope the improvements to Royal Poinciana Way won't deter you from visiting my favorite orange juice shop, Tropical Fruit, which has opened for the season.
There are many grand residences in the construction stage, as well, along South Ocean Boulevard, proof that Palm Beach is always a work in progress. It's hard to know if the economy will soon again be flourishing, but there are many very good real estate attractions on the island to consider. I always enjoy house- and apartment-looking – there's always so much to see!
There are, I have found in my tours of open houses, lots of folks who use gray as a background for living. Gray-painted walls can be soothing and feel surprisingly tropical, especially when the windows are treated with natural-finish or pale-stained plantation shutters. I recommend floors stained a deep ebony, perhaps accented by sisal rugs with a bright-colored banding – vivid scarlet red or rich palm tree green.
For the sofa upholstery in the gray room, I'd select white linen and, of course, some bright accent fabric – maybe palm-tree-green satin or a banana-colored satin. For lamps, white opaline vases with black opaque shades are always a great choice. For an additional soothing note in your room, cover club chairs in a rich green satin – very glamorous and early Hollywood. Who doesn't love Hollywood glamour?
Speaking of glamour, on Saturday I am chairing the Rita Hayworth Alzheimer's Ball in Dallas, Texas. The ball this year is focusing its design theme around the film "Gilda," one of Hayworth's most-watched films. Working with Princess Yasmin Aga Khan and with Laura Hunt of Dallas, we are encouraging Americans to be aware of the need for resources to fight this dreaded and debilitating disease. Many of us know the Rita Hayworth story, how the actress succumbed to Alzheimer's disease after first experiencing symptoms at the early age of 54. Rita's daughter, Yasmin, has devoted 17 years to increasing the world's awareness of the disease. Should any of my readers wish to donate to the cause of searching for the cure, please do so by contacting www.alz.org.
And while I'm taking a moment in this column to mention our fight for a cure for Alzheimer's, I am, at the same time, bringing to your attention the need for an awareness of the beautiful life we enjoy. Keeping the home beautiful is part – only part – of my messages each week.
Every so often when I am in the Palm Beaches, I come upon a place with an interior design that is unexpected. My newest discovery is downtown West Palm Beach's Dempsey's Cafe at 400 Clematis St., next to the Ultima Health Fitness Gym.
Dempsey's sports a color scheme of bright red and gold with a floor of big black and white squares – very much in keeping with the Rita Hayworth "Gilda" look. The squares even travel up one of the walls. The banquettes have big buttons accenting the upholstery for a fanciful harlequin look. Creative was the word of the day for this cafe, which boasts a menu of health-conscious food that the workout crews go for in a big way.
If you happen to be shopping on Clematis, perhaps for the best-of-the-best "bed and bath" items at Pioneer Linens, walk west and discover Dempsey's Cafe. The cafe does not offer table service, but there is a service bar where sandwiches – all healthful – are made fresh. There are a few words of wisdom on the wall under a photograph of the late actor James Dean. I'll pass these words on to you as a reminder:
"Dream as if you'll live forever,
And live as if you'll die today."

The Refinishing Touch Adds New Environmentally Friendly Fabrics To Upholstery Brand

2009-11-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

November 4, 2009
The Refinishing Touch's 'Touch Textiles' Brand Broadens Range to Include New 100%-Recycled Fabrics With New Eco-Friendly Finishes

Alpharetta, GA--(Marketwire) - The Refinishing Touch, a world renowned specialist in environmentally safe and sustainable on-site furniture refinishing, upholstery and armoire modifications, has added new environmentally-friendly materials to its Touch Textiles fabrics brand.

The new line includes a range of 100% recycled fabrics finished with GreenShield, a Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) recognized, low fluorocarbon treatment that uses two-thirds less chemicals without compromising the durability, moisture resistance, stain resistance or nonflammable qualities of the fabric.

In recent years, the industry has seen a massive increase in the use and demand for eco-friendly textiles. Close to 12 billion pounds of post consumer textile waste ends up in our landfills every single year, reflecting the growing need and continuing opportunity for recyclable and sustainable textiles throughout the world.

As a part of the additions to its eco-collection, Touch Textiles introduces fabrics from partners at three different mills that hold third-party certifications for environmentally friendly practices such as Lean Manufacturing (1). While remaining leaders in fabric design and development, these partners make use of innovations such as GreenShield, a fabric finisher that uses up to 10 times less fluorocarbons than other finishes and one-third of the chemicals while preserving color, maintaining fabric breathability, providing water and stain repellency and allowing for anti-odor, antistatic and non-flammable characteristics.

Touch Textiles' new line of green fabrics is complementary to The Refinishing Touch's commitment to sustainable practices that utilize non-toxic materials in its refinishing business. To date, The Refinishing Touch has refurbished the equivalent of 1.5 million rooms of furniture for approximately 20,000 different clients across the government, educational and hospitality sectors. Its practices of recycling, refurbishing and reupholstering furniture have saved approximately two million hardwood trees from landfill.

On top of environmentally sustainable properties, the new range of fabrics feature new designs, textures and materials to accommodate the extensive and selective tastes of The Refinishing Touch's client base across hospitality, university and government sectors.

Mario Insenga, founder and CEO of The Refinishing Touch, said, "Market demand for quality and environmentally friendly fabrics is continuing to grow more and more each year. Through Touch Textiles, The Refinishing Touch is responding to that demand and seeking out these fabrics to offer to our clients. We're determined to provide the highest quality, most environmentally sustainable fabrics, and we're very proud of our new line within the Touch Textiles brand."

He went on to say, "It makes good environmental and business sense to source the textile and refinishing work from the same company. By including these more eco-friendly options, we're hoping to bring new benefits to our clients and provide products and services that are in line with The Refinishing Touch's sustainable mission."

To view the new fabrics that are available immediately, visit The Refinishing Touch's Touch Textiles website. Fabric sample swatches can be requested by calling The Refinishing Touch at (800) 523-9448 or emailing them at sales@therefinishingtouch.com.

About The Refinishing Touch
Founded in 1977, The Refinishing Touch® is a world leader in providing on-site environmentally safe and sustainable furniture refinishing, upholstery and armoire modifications to private and public organizations. It enables its 20,000 customers across the following markets: government, hotel, hospitality and academia to save up to 80% of their budgets and maintain environmental sustainability.

To date the company has transformed over 1.5 million rooms of furniture worldwide, preventing the equivalent of approximately two million hardwood trees being lost to landfill. Services comprise furniture refinishing, reupholstering, armoire modification and re engineering, granite and fabric selection through the Touch Textiles division. The company has patent pending clean material processes that are odorless, non-toxic, non-flammable and environmentally safe to enable immediate room re-occupancy.

The Refinishing Touch was awarded the US General Services Administration Evergreen Award for innovative environmentally friendly practices. Long term clients include: The White House, The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, US Department of Justice, US Congress, Department of Defense, US Military and Coastguards, Hyatt, Marriot, Wyndham, IHG and Starwood, plus a number of top universities. The company is headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia.

www.therefinishingtouch.com (1) In its most basic form, Lean Manufacturing is the systematic elimination of waste from all aspects of an organization's operations, where waste is viewed as any use or loss of resources that does not lead directly to creating the product or service a customer wants when they want it. http://www.epa.gov/lean/leanreport.pdf

SOURCE: The Refinishing Touch