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comment Nanotech Textile Finish Gets (Mixed) Environmental Ratings
The Victor Group, a major manufacturer of interior textiles, has become the exclusive distributor of GreenShield finishing from G3 Technology Innovations, ensuring a wide market for the nanotechnology product. Instead of coating textiles with large quantities of fluorocarbons, which provide water repellency and other benefits, GreenShield uses tiny nanoparticles of fluorocarbons, giving it the same functionality with only one-eighth as much of the chemical, says the company.
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That reduction in fluorocarbons, which are associated with various health and environmental risks, has earned GreenShield several environmental ratings—all of them mixed. In 2007 GreenShield earned Indoor Advantage Gold from Scientific Certification Systems for low indoor emissions, although emissions are not among the chief concerns with fluorocarbons.
More recently, Victor’s Eco Intelligent Polyester fabrics with GreenShield earned a Silver rating in the Cradle to Cradle program. However, the same textile without the GreenShield finish (or any finish) earned a higher Gold rating, reflecting the risk of toxicity introduced to the product by GreenShield. Information on product availability is at www.victor-innovatex.com.This article was produced by BuildingGreen, LLC.- www.buildinggreen.com
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