Article Number: 6682
TX:STYLE Design Challenge: Sustainability embedded in Mannington contest, products
By Melissa McGuire
When Mannington Commercial took the wraps off its tx:style design challenge in 2009, the idea was to highlight up and coming members of the design community by giving them an opportunity to submit their creative ideas where the best would become part of the company’s product portfolio.
Now in its third year, the tx:style design challenge has become one of the commercial interiors industry’s leading product development and social networking contests. Tx:style breaks new ground each year for the number of designs submitted and number of interior designers and architects using social media to upload design concepts and ultimately vote to choose the grand prize winners. In year one of the contest, 6,000 members of the design community voted on more than 300 designs submitted.
This year, tx:style garnered a record 501 entries and more than 18,000 votes. Even before the products are considered, the sustainable benefits of the contest are apparent. Using an online site with unlimited capacity for feedback, comments and voting increases design options while lessening the environmental impact typically associated with product development. Paper drafts, initial rounds of product samples during pattern development, and travel for market testing are all dramatically reduced.
2009 WINNER: SQUAREBERRY
Year one of the contest crowned Meagan Webb’s Squareberry as the winner. Inspired by the peace of nature, Squareberry was developed into three patterns that combine simple organic forms with a geometric grid to create unique and delicate rhythms. The collection is made with Antron 6,6 nylon for superior durability and aesthetics, and also available in Antron Bio Legacy fiber with 10% bio-based content.
The collection is available on UltraBac RE and Integra HP RE broadloom backings, each containing a minimum of 10% post- consumer recycled content. For modular, designs are offered on Infinity RE modular backing system containing 30% recycled content, including 10% post-consumer content reclaimed through Mannington’s LOOP reclamation program. Vinyl alternative backing rEvolve is Mannington’s high performance thermoplastic polyolefin modular backing system with 40% recycled content by total product weight, including a minimum of 10% post-consumer as well as renewable resource content. All Mannington backings are certified to the NSF-140-2007e Platinum level as Environmentally Preferable Products.
2010 WINNERS: MATRIX AND RAINFALL
As Athena Abrol’s Matrix was developed into a collection, it generated an innovation in variable space dye technology. Exclusive to Mannington, the new process enhances color play in each of three patterns with looks that range from tech-inspired to hand-stitched.
The collection is backed with the same offerings as Squareberry — ranging from high performance, high recycled content broadloom and modular backings to a commercial-grade vinyl alternative option — all Platinum certified as environmentally preferable products.
Rainfall, by Laurel Harrison, was the first tx:style grand prize winner to be interpreted as a hard surface product. A contemporary new look in LVT, Rainfall was inspired by the luminescence of rain on glass. Strong yet easy to maintain, Rainfall brings sophisticated luxury to healthcare, retail, corporate, hospitality and education projects.
The company’s patented Quantum Guard HP reduces maintenance while increasing durability and life of the product on the floor.
When Mannington Commercial took the wraps off its tx:style design challenge in 2009, the idea was to highlight up and coming members of the design community by giving them an opportunity to submit their creative ideas where the best would become part of the company’s product portfolio.
Now in its third year, the tx:style design challenge has become one of the commercial interiors industry’s leading product development and social networking contests. Tx:style breaks new ground each year for the number of designs submitted and number of interior designers and architects using social media to upload design concepts and ultimately vote to choose the grand prize winners. In year one of the contest, 6,000 members of the design community voted on more than 300 designs submitted.
This year, tx:style garnered a record 501 entries and more than 18,000 votes. Even before the products are considered, the sustainable benefits of the contest are apparent. Using an online site with unlimited capacity for feedback, comments and voting increases design options while lessening the environmental impact typically associated with product development. Paper drafts, initial rounds of product samples during pattern development, and travel for market testing are all dramatically reduced.
2009 WINNER: SQUAREBERRY
Year one of the contest crowned Meagan Webb’s Squareberry as the winner. Inspired by the peace of nature, Squareberry was developed into three patterns that combine simple organic forms with a geometric grid to create unique and delicate rhythms. The collection is made with Antron 6,6 nylon for superior durability and aesthetics, and also available in Antron Bio Legacy fiber with 10% bio-based content.
The collection is available on UltraBac RE and Integra HP RE broadloom backings, each containing a minimum of 10% post- consumer recycled content. For modular, designs are offered on Infinity RE modular backing system containing 30% recycled content, including 10% post-consumer content reclaimed through Mannington’s LOOP reclamation program. Vinyl alternative backing rEvolve is Mannington’s high performance thermoplastic polyolefin modular backing system with 40% recycled content by total product weight, including a minimum of 10% post-consumer as well as renewable resource content. All Mannington backings are certified to the NSF-140-2007e Platinum level as Environmentally Preferable Products.
2010 WINNERS: MATRIX AND RAINFALL
As Athena Abrol’s Matrix was developed into a collection, it generated an innovation in variable space dye technology. Exclusive to Mannington, the new process enhances color play in each of three patterns with looks that range from tech-inspired to hand-stitched.
The collection is backed with the same offerings as Squareberry — ranging from high performance, high recycled content broadloom and modular backings to a commercial-grade vinyl alternative option — all Platinum certified as environmentally preferable products.
Rainfall, by Laurel Harrison, was the first tx:style grand prize winner to be interpreted as a hard surface product. A contemporary new look in LVT, Rainfall was inspired by the luminescence of rain on glass. Strong yet easy to maintain, Rainfall brings sophisticated luxury to healthcare, retail, corporate, hospitality and education projects.
The company’s patented Quantum Guard HP reduces maintenance while increasing durability and life of the product on the floor.
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