Continental Presents New Furniture Surfaces and Sets New Standards in Sustainability
- Sustainable materials and products for the furniture industry are the focus of the SICAM trade fair
- Premiere: skai rPureLux 2D soft made from 100 percent recycled PET material in polymer
- Premiere: brand new skai Tira wood decor with classic striped look
- Premiere: new skai Perfect Solo deep matte furniture foil in vinyl quality
- Suitable for everyday use and easy to clean – staynu technology helps significantly improve quality
Pordenone/Italy, October 18, 2022. Durable, robust, modern in design and, above all, sustainable: the technology company Continental will be showcasing new surfaces for the furniture industry at the SICAM trade fair from October 18 to 21. Pordenone in northern Italy will be the meeting place for suppliers to the European furniture industry, with more than 500 exhibitors set to present components, technical products and accessories in the industrial town 80 kilometers northwest of Venice.
Heiko Gerstl, European sales manager for furniture foils within Continental’s team of surface specialists, is looking forward to meeting up again with customers, partners and friends from many different countries: “Personal exchange is still extremely important to us. Trends, new ideas and sustainable market developments are what the trade fair is all about – just like us. We are passionately working on sustainable solutions utilizing material with best quality, safety and performance and replacing fossil based with sustainable material, while minimizing our CO2 emissions along the entire value chain”, Gerstl says.
Focus on sustainability – for the furniture industry and for Continental
As one would expect from a trade fair held in Italy, the land of fashion and aesthetics, design trends are set to be a key theme at SICAM. But at the same time, there will be much emphasis on sustainability and climate change mitigation. For its part, Continental will therefore be presenting innovative solutions and products that conserve resources and generate significantly lower CO2 emissions. One example is the new skai rPureLux 2D soft furniture foil, which is made from 100 percent recycled PET material in polymer. For years, Continental has been a pioneer in waste prevention and recycling, exhaust air purification and water protection – and by 2040, all of its production will be carbon-neutral. The company’s surface specialists use natural and renewable raw materials, rely on solvent-free and water-based polyurethane systems and steer clear of source materials of animal origin. The surfaces are manufactured using certified equipment at the Weißbach site in Germany – under fair working conditions and according to the strictest standards worldwide.
skai rPureLux 2D soft – fully recycled
Some of Continental's latest surface solutions for the furniture industry will make their debut at SICAM. One such example is the skai rPureLux 2D soft furniture foil, which is produced completely sustainably as part of a closed recycling loop. In addition, whereas recycled products in the past were associated with lower quality, the new design laminate proves that sustainability and outstanding performance now go hand in hand. Equipped with staynu technology, the surface is stain-resistant and easy to clean, making it the perfect choice for kitchens, bathrooms and living rooms. With the appropriate cleaning, even stains caused by olive oil, red wine or other foodstuffs can be removed without leaving any residue. The material is also highly resistant to scratches and defacement, meaning the surface stays in good condition for longer. Additionally, it boasts anti-fingerprint properties – again thanks to staynu technology.
All components are REACH-compliant and phthalate-free, and the finish coatings contain no solvents and are classified as low-emission. However, it is the source materials and manufacturing processes that really make a difference in terms of sustainability. It is now common practice in the manufacture of many PET, PVC and TPO films to recycle production waste (post-industrial recycling). For skai rPureLux 2D soft, Continental also uses so-called post-consumer raw materials, in this case recyclate from used PET bottles. In addition, the manufacturing processes are energy-optimized and certified according to ISO 50001, and raw material procurement, production and finishing take place locally or regionally. The energy required for the furniture foil comes from carbon-neutral sources.
skai Tira – a classic redefined
The second premiere at SICAM, skai Tira, is particularly focused on design. For this new product, Continental’s surface experts have used a timeless stripe pattern that is perfect for horizontal and vertical furniture applications. skai Tira combines fine fiber structures, straight-line wooden inlays and tightly packed growth rings to create an inspiring hybrid wooden decor. The pattern also features geometric stripe elements on the front, allowing for grooves and stripes in many facets (wide, deep, toothed, high-flat, twisted, round-cornered, concave or convex). These structures can be implemented using all common furniture manufacturing techniques, including milled, printed and multilayer constructions.
skai Perfect Solo – perfect surface protection without protective film
The third premiere is a deep matte furniture film in vinyl quality: skai Perfect Solo. Thanks to staynu technology, the material boasts excellent surface properties and is particularly suitable for everyday use. The plain matte surface has a special anti-fingerprint coating that eliminates the need for tiresome wiping. In addition, its excellent scratch and light resistance mean that skai Perfect Solo does not require a protective film.
Oak remains in high demand
As well as these three new arrivals, Continental will also be presenting other wooden decors that are currently in high demand on the market. These include the versatile skai Flagstaff Oak with its pristine aged wood look, skai Justus Oak, which inspires with its primed putty, dark traces of water and fissures that have turned black due to aging, and skai Viking Oak, the “free spirit from the far north” with irregularly placed, distinctive features that give it a charm all its own.
From terrazzo to plain-color designs
The terrazzo design of skai Salazar lends itself as an elegant partner to plain colors and wooden decors of all kinds. With four colors, the material opens up a wide range of possibilities, while the new surface structure brings plenty of depth and promises a memorable haptic experience. Textured surfaces in all variations, depths and haptics – with uniform matte or dual-gloss effects – are also not to be missed. The plain colors are brought to life with the right structure and thus also extended to the decor – whether wood, textile or stone.
Varied designs, functionality and sustainability – those attending SICAM in Pordenone can expect a memorable exhibition of the furniture supply industry. Continental will be presenting its solutions in Hall 10 at booth C10.
Axel Schmidt
Head of Communications
ContiTech Surface Solutions