Archify Live: Textile Commercial Interior Fit Out by Innova

Archify Live is our web series that responds to an increasing demand for virtual learning and networking. Our latest session was held on the 4th of November 2021 and was presented by Innova. Below is a transcript of the presentation.

Hi, I’m Kylie and thank you Noelle? for the introduction and the opportunity to present today. It’s great to see so many designers and architects here so thank you for joining me. My company, Innova, owns the brand Rim fabrics which you may already be familiar with, but Innova has so much more to offer the marketplace, in terms of Textile options. Our discussion topic is Textiles for Commercial Interior Fit Out and I have broken down this topic into some key market areas that Innova’s fabrics are used in.

I imagine you have all had the opportunity to tender for projects in one or more of the following categories: Education, Government, Hospital, Medical, Aged Care, Commercial office fit out, Hospitality and Retail. Our textile fabrics can be utilized effectively in all these market segments depending on your projects budget, level of traffic, wear and tear, and aesthetic.  

Starting with Education, our vinyl range Pacifica is widely used throughout Australia in Early Learning Centres, Kindergartens, Primary Schools, Secondary Schools, Private Schools, Tafes, Colleges and Universities. All embosses of Pacifica have UV, FR or flame retardants and anti-microbial additives to allay health concerns with the spread of viruses and bacteria. Pacifica has UV resistance to ensure it is anti-fade and has longevity in application, and the FR component is to ensure compliance with Australian FR standards. Pacifica complies with AS 1530 part 3.

Pictured on this slide is Raeco’s promotional images of the All Sorts cushions available for Early Learning & Primary Schools. The fabric used is specifically our Pacifica® Standard vinyl range.

Pacifica comes in 4 different embosses – Standard, Hide, Weave, and Dimple. We have grouped our special Pacifica embosses into the Pacifica Textures range, which features the Hide, Weave and Dimple embosses pictured in this slide. We can match any colour in any of the embosses shown however a Minimum Order Quantity is required and lead times can vary depending on colour matching, production and shipping.

Pacifica Standard comes in a wide range of 44 colours to choose from. This is our most affordable vinyl range. Pacifica is a well-loved marine grade vinyl brand that has been in the marketplace for over 30 years. Marine grade vinyl means that it can be used outdoors, has been utilized in boats where salt water and sand can affect vinyls of a lesser quality, and has been tested to not fade in the harsh Australian sun after consistent UV exposure. We have tested Pacifica ourselves in our QUV machine (weatherometer) and it has lasted for over 1000+ hours.

Pacifica is not our only educational textile. There are a raft of vinyl, acrylic, polyurethane, polycarbonate, and polyester options at your disposal which we can assist with.

Pictured, is our Pacifica® Standard range in application - utilised by Ensight Furniture. Bright primary colours are available in the Pacifica range and are showcased here.

For Government projects, unfortunately we don’t have images of these to show you, the Government can be quite shy in showcasing where taxpayers’ money is being used. However, Pacifica and more of our other polyurethane, polycarbonate, upholstery textiles and polyester screen fabrics are used in defence, ATO and other projects for seating, booths, stools, and workstation project applications.

Hospital, Medical & Aged Care all have different requirements depending on the outcome you are aiming for. Silicon coated fabrics are an amazing new technology in the marketplace. With no chemical additives, Silicon is naturally inert for bacteria, germs and viruses which do not survive on its surface. It is also naturally FR and complies with AS 1530 part 3. Our Silex range of 35 bright and muted colours offer a great opportunity for hospitals, medical centres, and Aged Care facilities to utilize a waterproof, easy clean, not slippery, soft, and supple coated fabric in break out room, cafeteria, and office seating applications. It has such a lovely hand feel you can’t help falling in love with Silex and its environmental impact is negligible due to its manufacturing process. Hayden is our other Silicon coated fabric range and offers a pebble like finish that gives you a leather like look without the harm to animals.

This slide shows a breakout room at the Royal Melbourne Hospital where our Mitchell Silex (Silicon) range was specified and installed by Schiavello Manufacturing or OCMA.

One of our other medical grade fabrics, Eden FRee, a Morbern range product manufactured in Canada is a vinyl that can be used in hospital, medical and aged care waiting rooms and break out rooms. This is an incredibly affordable vinyl option which offers a non-toxic, chemical additive free, and environmentally friendly fabric. With 25 colours available and specifically for indoor use, this waterproof and bleach resistant coated vinyl fabric is a wonderful option for sustainability and is quite popular with architects and designers who recognize the benefits of chemical free, environmentally sustainable textiles for medical, hospital and aged care environments.

This slide shows a white chair that has been upholstered in our Eden FRee vinyl range. Perfect for medical and health centres looking to minimize chemical toxicity in their environments but requiring a robust, waterproof, and easy clean fabric.

Our Rim Fabrics branded screen fabrics have been used in workstations and commercial office fit out partitions and dividers for over 20+ years and are affordable and well regarded. Several of our ranges are made in Australia – Revelation Woven and Metrocentric and coming our Sophistication range which is 100% Wool. We have our gorgeous velvet hand feel Sensation Woven which is being used in workstations across Australia and we have our traditional Rim branded fabrics Trilogy One, Evolve and Harmony which are progressively being phased out.

This slide shows manufactured workstations by Castledex WA featuring Trilogy One fabric for Anglogold.

We work with specifiers, manufacturers, and workstation specialists to ensure that we have the widest range of colours available. Sensation has been extended to 36 colours with the final 16 being made up into chips and brochures now. Metrocentric is also being extended to a further 26 colours from 12 and Revelation Woven with its ability to be used in seating has 20 in stock colours.

This slide image is of a workstation manufactured in Sensation Woven Tar by Office Choice Griffith NSW.

Sotto Voce is our panel and rolled felt range for use in workstation dividers, pin boards, and partitions. We offer 6mm, 20mm and 24mm panels in a variety of colours – some are in stock, and others are indent. Our rolled felt colours are fully stocked and available and all our Sotto Voce range achieved a Group 1 fire rating. Acoustic results for our panels are:

6mm NRC rating of 0.2 with 0mm airgap,

20mm NRC rating of 0.6 with 0mm airgap and

24mm with NRC rating of 0.7 with 0mm airgap.

Further technical information can be provided on request.

We have furnished many hospitality and restaurant venues where fabric choice is specifically about durability and cleanability. All our fabrics are resistant to staining, spills and external damage. Almost all of our upholstery fabrics are waterproof and have easy clean protection to ensure the fabric specified lasts longer than the 3-year warranty that applies. Our fabrics are bleach cleanable and have resistance to harsh chemical cleaner damage – which is essential for our medical applications. Highwood rustic is a product that is a polyurethane which does extremely well in high traffic indoor conditions. With a super soft hand feel and a pebble like emboss, Mitchell’s Highwood range has 11 available colours.

In this slide, Highwood Rustic was specified and used for the manufacture of these booths for Kailis Fish Market in WA, manufactured by Unitec.

Our fabrics have a long history of being used in fast food restaurants, bowling alleys and all types of recreational areas where booths and seating are required for client comfort. Pacifica has such a wonderful colour range that colour co-ordination for corporate colours is easy. Morbern’ s Sundance is also another example of an extensive colour range with 43 sensational colours for both indoor and outdoor applications. Sundance is a marine grade vinyl upholstery range.

Showcased in this slide is the commercial fit out for Lord of the Fries using Pacifica® Standard colour fire engine.

We also have fabrics suitable for outdoor settings. From carpark rooves, light weight shade structures, to pergolas and retractable rooves our VIP-FR, Cube, Trend and Trend light PVC coated fabrics can be used for these applications. Shading solutions have become so important with climate change and the harsh Australian sun. Our fabrics have been tested to meet the needs of the Australian environment for UV, and we can offer a multitude of colour options for any outdoor projects.

VIP FR is pictured here in three colours in a conical structure at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

Lisos is our outdoor blind & awning fabric perfect for shade protection on commercial buildings and domestic homes. Lisos is 100% solution dyed acrylic, which means the fibres are individually dyed to ensure superior anti-fade and reduced colour change compared to non-solution dyed fabrics. Lisos is 120cm in width, comes with a 10-year warranty and a Teflon like protective coating to ensure resistance to staining from outside sources. Again, our fabrics are easy to maintain and clean and Lisos comes in 72 colour options with patterns and stripes.

Lisos can be used for outdoor blinds, awnings, café barriers, curtains, umbrellas, and cushions.

Featured in this outdoor awning is our Lisos Amarillo that has been screen printed.

Agora is 100% Solution Dyed Acrylic and predominantly an upholstery fabric.

Our Sauleda brand of Agora is used for indoor and outdoor fabric applications. With a softer hand feel for soft furnishings, Agora is another upholstery offering that can be used in a multitude of options including curtains, cushions, seating, stools, and umbrellas.

Agora is water resistant and can be treated with a PU backing for further water proofing.

Stain resistant and bleach cleanable – Agora is a lovely fabric option for the outdoors and carries a 5-year warranty.

Morbern is a highly regarded coated fabrics manufacturer based in Canada. Their product ranges Splash (Bayside & Surf), Sundance, MorCare (Nomad & Cinema), Celebration, Amulet, Americana, and Eden FREE, to name a few feature RoHS and REACH compliance, superior cleanability, anti-microbial and FR compliance, bleach and healthcare cleaner resistant, meet EN71-3 safety for toys, with excellent environmental credentials

Innova has partnered with Morbern to bring into Australia multiple highly technical vinyl ranges for use in commercial upholstery. As you can see here, there are a multitude of ranges available to the Australian marketplace currently, through Innova, but this list is by no means complete. Vinyl has come a long way from 20-30 years ago and as a company that prides itself on its ranges, Innova can guide you on your product choices to ensure they meet your project needs.

MGX MorGuard Xtreme™ is Morbern’s revolutionary new topcoat that greatly enhances cleanability. Tough stains from rigorous use are easily cleaned and will prolong the life of seats in harsh applications.

Featured in this slide is Morbern’s Sundance vinyl range. Sundance which features MorGuard Xtreme, has been tested with the following cleaners:

Clorox Broad Spectrum Quaternary Disinfectant Cleaner (Spray)

Clorox Healthcare Hydrogen peroxide

Metrex Cavicide

Virex 256

Healthlink EZ-KILL wipes

Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes

3M HB QUAT disinfectant Cleaner Concentrate (diluted per instructions .38oz/gallon)

Oxivir TB General virucide, bactericide, tuberculocide, fungicide, sanitizer

Oxivir TB ready to use surface cleaner & intermediate disinfectant, general virucide, tuberculocide

Oxivir Plus disinfectant cleaner concentrate full strength

Oxivir Plus disinfectant cleaner concentrate diluted according to instructions 1:40 ratio

Virox 5 Concentrated surface cleaner & disinfectant general virucide full strength

Virox 5 concentrated surface cleaner & disinfectant general virucide diluted according to instructions 1:16 ratio

Sporicidal Hard Surface disintectant

Clorox Healthcare Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaner Disinfectant. A list can be provided on request.

Sundance MGX MorGuard Xtreme has also been tested for the following stains:

BBQ sauce and Cola

Mineral Oil lubricant

Sunscreen 30

Lipstick

Ball point pen

Mustard

Sundance passed the rating system using CFFA-141 and ASTM D 1308 standards. Further details can be supplied on request.

Mitchell fabrics are a major supplier of coated textiles in the American marketplace. Innova has partnered with Mitchell to bring into Australia polyurethane, polycarbonate and silicon ranges that have superior durability, suppleness, and excellent environmental credentials. Why use these products versus vinyl? Well, depending on the vinyl and its ability to withstand constant cleaning with COVID, polyurethane’s, polycarbonates and silicon’s have superior cleanability and durability against harsh chemical cleaners and bleaches versus vinyl. They also generally are softer to touch and more supple giving a faux leather feel. They are also generally more expensive than vinyl and can only be used indoors although Silicon can and has been used outdoors as it has inherent anti-fade properties in its construction without the UV or FR additives. It really comes down to the type of fabric you are after and the application you are using it for.

The Mitchell fabric ranges include Silex, Hayden, (silicon), Donegal, Butte, Sammie, Matrix (polycarbonates), Highwood, Congo & Crisscross (polyurethanes). These ranges meet REACH, LEED and RoHS compliance, meet FR and anti-microbial requirements, are sta*kleen easy clean fabrics, are phthalate free, are vegan friendly, have environmental credentials, and have been extensively used throughout the USA Australia, and worldwide. Mitchell is part of the Healthier Hospitals Green health program to meet the highest standards and safe use of fabrics in Hospitals.

Sta-Kleen® Performance Fabric is a revolution in faux leather upholstery -- the first stain resistant urethane fabric. Sta-Kleen offers permanent protection, created with a proprietary bonding process inherent in the manufacturing process of the product. It is not a topical application: it will last the lifetime of the upholstery.

Blue jeans may be comfortable to wear but denim can take a toll on furniture upholstery. Sta-Kleen creates an invisible barrier to keep the indigo dye from transferring to the upholstery. Sta-Kleen is truly cleanable, the first urethane upholstery to handle ballpoint pen. Sta-Kleen will remove tough stains including ketchup, coffee, wine, and nail polish. Sta-Kleen easily cleans lotions, creams and topical antiseptics that would stain conventional urethane upholstery forever.

Sta-Kleen can also withstand harsh chemical disinfectants which are used in the fight against pathogens. Sta-Kleen can be cleaned over and over without surface damage.

Sta-Kleen Performance Fabric creates new possibilities for hospitality, commercial, healthcare, and residential furniture markets with the industry's premier performance fabric. Sta-Kleen's stain protection is perfect for high-traffic areas where style and design are as important as the performance of the urethane upholstery.

Sta-Kleen contains no lead or heavy metals. It is phthalate and formaldehyde free. It does not contain anti-microbial additives, chemical flame retardants, persistent organic pollutants, or toxic by-products. Sta-Kleen is REACH and RoHS compliant and is eligible for LEED credits for Healthcare MR Credit 5 and LEED v4 for Commercial Interiors.

Featured is Mitchell’s polyurethane range Congo which is a Sta*Kleen range.

Innova bought the Rim Fabrics brand in 2010 and it is well recognized in the industry as screen fabrics for the budget conscious. However, we have more high-end fabrics being introduced into this brand including our Australian made Revelation Woven which can be used for both screen fabrics and upholstery and our Sophistication Wool coming with 10 colour options as an introduction. Our newer ranges of Sensation Woven and Metrocentric are still in the affordable bracket and complement our other ranges of Trilogy One, Evolve and Harmony.

Innova has partnered with Sauleda of Spain to bring solar protection fabrics as well as upholstery fabrics into the Australian marketplace. Innova has a strong relationship with Sauleda and has been purchasing Lisos, Agora, and Sea Star, for over 15 years. Sauleda in the last 10 years has created PVC coated fabrics for outdoor usage in conicals, light weight shade structures, canopies, bus shelter rooves, retractable rooves, and pergolas. 

Innova’s own brands of Pacifica vinyl, Supelle vinyl, and Terra Nova Neo polyurethane fabrics are affordable and have been in the marketplace a long time. Pacifica has been in the market for about 30+ years, Supelle 10+ and Terra Nova Neo 10+ years. Pacifica and Supelle are outdoor vinyls whereas Terra Nova Neo is an indoor upholstery fabric. Supelle has a leather like handfeel and an emboss reminiscent of leather. With a suede backing Supelle comes in 25 colours and has been used in booths and seats. Terra Nova Neo has been used in many applications such as blood collection chairs, massage tables, auditorium seating, booths, seats, and stools.

Vinyl as it is mostly known, is a good general-purpose product and can be used in many different industries. Traditional vinyl when cleaned with harsh chemicals used in hospitals, medical centres and in hospitality will over time cause the vinyl to harden and crack requiring replacement.

Benefits of using our vinyl products

Our Morbern PVC products, Sundance, Nomad and Cinema all have a protective coating which helps to reduce the impact of harsh chemical cleaners. To increase performance, it is good practice to clean the vinyl fabric with warm clear water after disinfection. Pictured is our Nomad & Cinema vinyl range.

Nomad and Cinema contain no halogenated flame retardants, and with Sundance contain no BPA, ozone depleting chemicals, PBT’s (persistent bio accumulative toxic substances), are phthalate free and they contain bio based renewable ingredients. Most of our vinyl products are for indoor and outdoor applications except for Celebration, Amulet, Nomad, Cinema, and Eden FREE which are strictly indoor vinyls.

Polyurethane is more suited to harsh or heavy cleaning environments as it does not use plasticisers to create its soft supple hand feel.

Benefits of using our polyurethane products

Our Mitchell Highwood, featured, is part of the Sta-Kleen® range which is a highly efficacious coating that will last the life of the fabric, making it an easily cleanable fabric even when hospital grade chemical cleaners are used. It is remarkably stain resistant and requires minimal cleaning to remove hard and fast stains. Our own brand of polyurethane – Terra Nova Neo also requires minimal cleaning and has longevity in hospital and medical applications. Most polyurethane fabrics are strictly indoor only.

Polycarbonate is an upgraded version of polyurethane. The addition of polycarbonate resins to the mixture provides a higher level of longevity and resistance to heavy cleaning. Pictured here is Mitchell’s Matrix range.

Benefits of using our polycarbonate products

As part of the Sta-kleen range, Mitchell offers several high-performance polycarbonate ranges including Matrix, Butte, Sammie, and Donegal. They still provide the soft and supple feel of standard polyurethane however their ability to withstand stains, extensive cleaning and remain in pristine shape, is a step above these other fabric options. Most polycarbonate fabrics are strictly indoor only.

Silicon coated fabrics are currently the most advanced synthetic textiles available. They combine a velvety smooth and soft hand feel with very high performance in some of the most demanding of cleaning environments. They can even be used outdoors as Silicon has a very high UV resistance and the coating does not gain heat to the same extent as other fabrics, making for more comfortable seating when exposed to the hot sun.

Benefits of using our silicon products

Mitchell manufactures highly specified Silicon fabric in Silex and Hayden, with the added benefit of the Sta-Kleen coating, providing additional protection to a product that is already ideally placed to be the best product for use in hospitals and medical centres, in hospitality and in general contract and commercial applications.

Innova has many sampling options to assist with decision making from brochures, chip sets, ring swatches through to combination folders that include both upholstery and screen fabric ranges. We also have digital USB keys that include all our brochures in digital pdf form to save paper and space. If you order individual samples through our website, we can provide A4 and A5 samples of all our ranges, so you get the benefit of colour matching. Our sampling has a very quick turn around and we work hard to ensure your samples are sent within 24-48 hours of request via our website, email or phone. Our website is www.innova.com.au. Email is [email protected] and our phone +61 3 9551 8722.

We would love to assist you in your next design project by offering you a wide range of beautiful coated and uncoated acrylic fabrics for upholstery applications for both indoor and outdoor. We are a customer service-oriented company. We aim to have deliveries out the door same day and we let you know if there are any issues with the supply chain. COVID has brought many challenges with shipping and production delays and the team at Innova work hard to ensure we offer you the best alternatives and meet the needs of project deadlines.