Enhancing Commercial Spaces with Velvet

Velvet became synonymous with hospitality during the Industrial Revolution as glamorous hotels, bars, and restaurants installed lustrous draperies and upholstered chaise lounges and dining chairs.

During the 1920s velvet became the backdrop to the Jazz Age. A society rich in fashion, art, and music with a post-war economy to match who frequented now iconic New York venues The Savoy Ballroom, Cotton Club, and Apollo Theatre.

Whilst these spaces influenced ideas of luxury and cultural sophistication, it was not only the appearance of velvet that secured its popularity but its inherent ability to absorb reverberations. The roaring music of big bands such as the Chick Webb ensemble featuring Ella Fitzgerald or the Count Basie was softened by rooms dressed in velvet textiles. Today, however, velvets offer even more high-performance qualities to interior spaces.

Velvet is an extremely sound-absorbing textile and therefore an outstanding choice for manipulating the acoustics and general atmosphere of an interior environment.

Due to mass, drapery textiles are the best source of sound absorption and their performance can be enhanced by:

·         Installing folded/layered fabric (e.g. pleated curtains or linings)

·         Hanging curtains a small distance off the wall

·         Softening opposing walls to reduce sound waves travelling wall to wall

FR-One textiles are tested for sound absorption in accordance with EN ISO 354 and provided with an official Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) between 0 and 1. 0 denotes a hard surface where all noise is reverberated, while 1 denotes a textile which absorbs all sound.

These results are commonly converted to a sound absorption class as per ISO 11654, from A to E. Although A-rated textiles achieve the highest absorption rating, those rated B or C will also effectively reduce sound reverberation.

Constructed specifically for a wide range of high-traffic spaces – residential, hotels, hospitality, offices, commercial, cruise ships and public buildings – our extensive fire-retardant fabric offering would not be complete without velvet.

Fire retardant properties can either be inherent in the yarn or applied as a finish. Inherent fire retardance generally achieves a high certification as it cannot be washed out, whereas an after-market or solution finish can also achieve a good rating in the short term but may lessen over time depending upon how the fabric is treated.

It is through the development of these high-quality fabrics that we can offer the best possible solution with longevity in mind.

Our FibreGuard range includes stain resistant, durable, and easy-clean velvets designed to resist a wide variety of common and tough household stains. FibreGuard Pro is additionally resistant to mildew, odour, moisture repellent, and offers anti-microbial properties.

The yarns in both FibreGuard and FibreGuard Pro, are coated for stain resistance that will last for the lifetime of the fabric. They are also Oeko-Tex certified free from harmful substances, ensuring safety for people, pets, and the environment.