The team of surface specialists at Continental presented their synthetic upholstery fabrics from the skai brand for the first time at the Clerkenwell Design Week festival.
The booth set up by technology company Continental in the Catapult building is headed ‘Sustainability starts at the surface – and surfaces are our creative playground.’ This message is exemplified by materials such as skai VyP Coffee and skai Evida Fiber.
"We used coffee grounds as a raw material for the first time in our breathable upholstery fabric skai VyP Coffee," states Ralf Imbery, Head of Design, Marketing and Strategy at Continental’s Surface Solutions business area. "This allowed us to replace over 65 percent of the conventional chemical raw materials used in this artificial leather with natural, renewable and recycled substances. And it has already won the prestigious European Green Award."
Thanks to its breathable design, skai VyP Coffee offers impressive comfort even when sitting for long periods, making it an excellent upholstery material for seating in hotels, cafés, restaurants and offices.
The environmental footprint of skai Evida Fiber organic artificial leather has also been greatly improved, with natural and renewable raw materials accounting for over 90 percent of its constituent components.
“The grain’s fine, fiber-like texture makes it immediately clear that this is a sustainable product,” explains Imbery. What is more, skai Evida Fiber is certified according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and is vegan, as are all artificial leathers from Continental. Other standout qualities of this sustainable material include its wide range of colors with natural tones, richly varied grain pattern and abrasion-resistant and flame-retardant surface.
Another exhibit on show is skai Tovosoft EN, a material whose soft, comfortable finish invites you to touch it and enjoy the amazing tactile experience. "We achieve a voluminous flow effect thanks to its honeycomb structure," says Imbery. "The muted range of nude, beige and earthy tones fits perfectly here."
At the more futuristic-looking end of the scale is skai Totexo EN, whose textile grain creates an elegant appearance with its matte-gloss effect. This makes it an ideal choice both for digital work environments and for modern furnishing concepts in the hospitality and living space sectors.
