Sustainable materials

Simply Green
Navigating the global sustainability landscape.

At Brentano, the global impact of our products is not limited to its use after installation, but rather beyond the stretches of its timeline, from conception to end of life. Our sustainability philosophy is simple: utilize common-sense practices that directly influence our effect on all life and the environment. From our beginnings, Brentano Founder Iris Wang has imprinted her Buddhist philosophy on product development, placing high value on ensuring our products and practices do not harm humans and animals. With this ideology in mind, Brentano has consciously designed vegan products free from materials like genuine leather or traditionally harvested silk. Our decisions address common-thread global issues through responsible fiber sourcing, partnering with carbon-conscious manufacturing, and reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals of concern.
Fiber sample

Fiber Sourcing

As a textile line showcasing many textures, patterns, and constructions, our use of textile fibers is equally varied. Many patterns feature the use of rapidly renewable fibers like cotton, wool, linen, and mohair, all bio-based products that can be replenished within 10 years. Whenever possible, Brentano will design products with fibers composed of recycled content while ensuring that these yarns meet the strict aesthetic and quality control standards expected of Brentano textiles. Our goal is to prioritize the development of products containing a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content. More recently, Brentano has launched its first products utilizing SEAQUAL® YARN, an initiative that extrudes yarns from recovered marine plastic. Brentano also continues to commit to landfill waste reduction. 2022 marked the launch of our textile recycling program, in which scraps of textiles from sample production are sent to a recycling facility called Martex Fiber. From here, the textile scraps are processed to make items like stuffing, lining, and filler for various applications. During its pilot year, Brentano recycled over 2,200 lbs of waste textiles.

12

RED LIST FREE PRODUCTS

7,651

POUNDS OF SCRAPS RECYCLED

373

RECYCLED CONTENT PRODUCTS

Textures

Carbon-Conscious Partners

According to the EPA, 65% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from burning fossil fuels for transportation and industry. The textile manufacturing industry is no exception, traditionally utilizing energy-intensive processes for dyeing, scouring, finishing, and vegan leather production.

Brentano regularly audits its mill partners to ensure continued improvements towards carbon emissions and environmental impact are being made. These practices can include but are not limited to renewables, water/waste management programs, and third-party certifications for sustainable manufacturing like Oeke-Tex STEP or ISO 14001.

Chemicals of Concern

Our goals have evolved provide high performance standards while utilizing as little chemical finishing as possible, particularly when it may contain chemicals of concern. Brentano actively continues to discover innovations in chemical finishing while monitoring legislation affecting the interiors industry.

Brentano has committed to developing products that do not contain flame retardant (FR) treatments such as antimony trioxide or PBDE (Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether) and instead focus on developing products that inherently pass flame standards such as CAL 117:2013. For textiles that do not inherently pass, Brentano has developed a new barrier cloth that is free of any FR additives and can be used in tandem with our textiles to meet CAL 117:2013 compliance.

Brentano is also proactive in limiting the use of PFAS (Per- Polyfluroakyl Substances) on textile products. PFAS has traditionally been used as the active ingredient in stain-resistant finishes, and research has revealed concerns regarding bioaccumulation and adverse environmental and human health effects. In response, Brentano has committed to phasing out PFAS finishing from its standard line of products and provide robust PFAS-free alternatives in standard and cut yardage options. The Fall 2023 launch of the Favorite Things
Collection featured Brentano’s first products that come standard with a PFAS-Free stain Repellent.

Brentano continues to provide a wide array of products that adhere to or contribute to joint health, safety, and environmental declarations or certifications, including Proposition 65, Healthier Hospitals Initiative, LEED, Red List Free and Oeke-Tex Standard 100.