County Draperies Inc. has long been committed to developing and implementing environmentally responsible procedures throughout all phases of the manufacturing and installation process, as well as protecting and preserving natural resources around the globe. We do not believe that being eco-friendly and manufacturing beautiful, functional, and durable window and bedding is a mutually exclusive concept.
We are proud to report that a variety of environmentally friendly manufacturing technologies and innovative plant management procedures are continuously instituted allowing us to conserve energy, reduce waste and reallocate materials and components.
At our manufacturing facilities, we purchase raw materials from one of two types of sources: 1) virgin and 2) recycled materials and components. We partner only with vendors who are equally committed to the highest production standards while also adhering to international environmental laws and regulations.
We can break down our efforts into the following categories:
Production Materials for Drapery and Bedding Treatments
The basic materials – fabrics, threads, piping/welting, linings, etc. – when provided by County are all made of polyester/cotton blend in order to maximize the renewable source content. When possible the fabrics we use for draperies, sheers, bedspreads, dust ruffles, pillows and roller shades are from recycled post-consumer content. Scrap fabrics are used in our pre-ship area to dress and pack the draperies and sheers prior to boxing.
The woods we use for cornices and headboards are harvested by suppliers who regularly reseed their lands. We also use OSB (oriented-strand board) or MDF (medium density fiberboard) which are both made from 100% recycled lumber and wood products. Those compressed materials, which have extremely high tensile strength required for our products, incorporate wood chips and sawdust that would otherwise have been trashed from lumberyards and millwork. Our lumber vendors use advanced reforestation and land management techniques. We do not use wood from old growth forests or rainforests.
Our wood cutting and millwork department use the most innovative technologies to capture and reuse all sawdust and particles. The sanding department is equipped with a dust collection system to reduce airborne contaminants within the building and to maintain clean and healthy working conditions for the production staff.
CFC-free foam is used in our upholstered headboards, pillow and bolster inserts and cornices.
Foam rubber is recycled or re-used as cutoffs for uses such as cushioning and padding, as packing materials for our products in transit or can be chopped to use as down-alternative pillow inserts.
Mounting/Hardware
All aluminum and metal-based supplies and components (such as drapery tracks, roller shade tubes, roman shade tubes and fasteners) are made from post-consumer products. All scraps, cutoffs, and remnants are recycled at metal and plastic recycling facilities within the vicinity of our manufacturing plant.
Plastic and nylon components (such as carriers, drapery pins, and roman shade components, fasteners, tieback holders) similarly comply with our corporate recycle standards as well.
All products with powder coated finishes (such as some drapery rods), or manufacturing procedures that use silicone or fabric cleaning fluids use exclusively water-based adhesives and solvents, which are more environmentally-friendly chemicals to minimize our carbon footprint.
Packaging and Shipping
A primary initiative of County Draperies is to reuse as much packaging materials and pallets that come into our facility’s receiving dock as possible.
Pallets and materials for our crates are procured and collected on a reclaiming basis from other businesses in close proximity to our factory for reuse.
On the occasions when we purchase original packaging supplies, we internally mandate the corrugated boxes (cartons) from our vendors meet the minimum of 40% post-consumer recycled products and, when available, up to 90%. We also incorporate bio-degradable packing materials.
Plastic bags, stretch wrap, carton tape and plastic strapping are all made from recycled, post-consumer products of the highest percentages we can obtain.
Our crates and custom size cartons have been specifically designed to meet guidelines of the transportation industry to enable our products to stack and fill the trucks, trailers, containers more efficiently and thus conserve fuel.
When shipping finished products or receiving raw materials, we try to schedule back hauls to encourage fuel conservation and avoid deadhead runs. We consolidate pick-ups among a small group of preferred carriers in order to schedule fewer individual shipments per day.
Office Procedures
Over the last 5 years County Draperies has instituted an aggressive recycling program throughout our company headquarters for ink cartridges, paper, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans.
We have installed a water filtration system in our breakroom providing our employees with high quality filters used on regular tap water in lieu of purchasing bottled water, thus eliminating the necessity of large trucks delivering hundreds of 5 gallon bottles of water each year.
Three years ago we purchased a new full-duplex, multi-tray printer. By printing on both sides of the page we are able to significantly reduce the amount of paper generated by our office. County Draperies also purchases, by intent, recycled copy and print paper.
In addition to all of these measures, we are also enthusiastically looking ahead and offering hoteliers sustainable and energy saving products. For example, at properties wishing to incorporate total room automation, County Draperies offers a solar-replenishable hardware drapery system which eliminates the need for electricity for motorized operations. In addition to the motorized drapery rod we are in the final stages of testing and development of a solar powered tubular motor for roller or roman shade applications.
There are numerous procedures and policies that are currently in place and others we are proactively identifying and beginning to implement which will continue to make County Draperies proud as a company to have a responsible and sustainable strategy for reducing our environment impact and conserving our natural resources.
Contact a County Draperies specialist at greeninitiative@drape.com so we can help make your project greener.