Valley Forge Fabrics a Sage Finalist

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 12/15/2008 12:00:00 AM

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. —

Valley Forge Fabrics, a 31-year-old family owned and operated textiles company, was one of three finalists in the inaugural Sage Award competition announced by The American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) and Cargill BiOH Polyols.

The other two finalists were Cisco Brothers and Hickory Chair, which won the award.

This award program was launched to recognize environmental accomplishments within the home furnishings and bedding industries. Sage Award entries this year represented retail companies, manufacturers and suppliers to the home furnishings and bedding industries.

"This is an extraordinary group of companies," said Yusuf Wazirzada, business unit leader for Cargill's BiOH polyols business. "They share a belief that environmental excellence is an ongoing journey, but their stories highlight how different that journey can be for individual companies. Their success required flexibility, insight and a sustained commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility."

Added Any Counts, ceo of the AHFA: "A sage is someone who is widely respected for wisdom, experience and judgment. This award was created by AHFA and Cargill BiOH polyols to seek out, discover and recognize true industry innovators from whom all of us can learn."

Valley Forge Fabrics said it has since 2002 made a top priority for the company "the preservation of the planet and its resources."

Last year, after several years of extensive research, Valley Forge launched its FRESH, or Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards for Hospitality, program. FRESH fabrics are made from synthetic yarns derived from pre- and post-consumer recycled products — mostly post-consumer PET plastic beverage bottles. These products are made of 100% recycled content — no blends.

Since then, Valley Forge has expanded this with FRESH bedding, which comprises high-thread count pieces, and the company's first ever natural bedding collection, Living FRESH, a high thread-count grouping that employs a blend of natural fibers including eucalyptus and cotton.