Wuppertal, June 2022 – (fpr) The demands imposed on construction materials and other interior furnishing materials are very exacting. Appearance and feel play a key role alongside economic aspects, such as a long useful life, durability and ease of renovation. The focus is increasingly on the sustainability of the materials used. There is massive potential for healthier interior design, particularly for walls and ceilings. For decades, Erfurt & Sohn has relied on the responsible conservation of resources and the continuous optimisation of its products. With success: healthy, paintable wallcoverings are one of the company's core areas of expertise. These are produced in an extensive range at the company's headquarters in Wuppertal – from woodchip and nonwoven woodchip to flat and textured nonwoven and digital print wallcoverings.
Wallcoverings win out
There are several advantages to decorating walls and ceilings with wallcoverings: in new buildings, wallcoverings cover hair cracks and, when renovating an old building, textured wallcoverings can be used to conceal unevenness. Wallcoverings also protect the building structure and – thanks to their impact resistance – are less susceptible to damage even in busy areas. What's more: they can be re-painted several times. When you come to redecorate, the walls can simply be painted over without creating any noise or dirt – even in building areas which are in continuous use. The wallcoverings are simple to remove and can be applied with ease – without damaging the structure of the building. The process is much more time-consuming and expensive with bare walls: refurbishing painted walls requires very thorough and mechanical preparation of the walls to avoid any possible damage.
Sustainably beautiful walls
Woodchip and nonwoven woodchip wallpapers have been some of the Wuppertal company's best-known products since 1864, wood fibres from sustainably managed forests creating their irregular texture. They are available in a range of different grains – some of which are so fine that their plaster-like surface is barely distinguishable as traditional woodchip. The family-owned company has even launched the first climate-neutral wallcovering: Rauhfaser ELLA woodchip. In addition to compensating for emissions there is no plastic used in the product. Erfurt is also setting new standards in terms of sustainability and health safety with its flat nonwoven wallcoverings. The Variovlies ECO 150 is the first product of its kind to be made from recycled paper and textile fibres. The company's most recent development even goes one step further: Variovlies ECO 150 PLUS is the first and to date only, flat nonwoven wallcovering to be made of 100% recycled fibres. Overall, Erfurt focuses on sustainability throughout its entire supply and production process. All wallcoverings are free of PVC and plasticisers, breathable and can be re-painted several times. Textured nonwoven wallcoverings are embossed rather than foamed. This makes them healthy as well as sustainable – apart from anything else, on account of their extremely long useful life. Alongside their paintable wallcoverings, the product range of the Wuppertal specialists also includes printable and individually printed wallcoverings – nothing stands in the way of ultra-creative wall design with these PVC-free and odour-neutral wallcoverings. Apart from its most recent GREEN BRAND Award, the Blue Angel environmental seal which applies to certain products, the TÜV North allergy seal and the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, plus the company's own EPDs, are all evidence that Erfurt & Sohn products are proven to be environmentally-friendly and also help to create healthy ambient conditions. As a company, Erfurt is certified to the international standards for environmental and quality management – DIN EN 14001 and DIN EN 9001 – and to DIN EN ISO 50001 for energy management.
Strong partnerships and innovative research
Memberships in various organisations underline Erfurt's commitment to sustainability: whether the DGNB German Sustainable Building Council or the COLORNETWORKⓇ. This network of well-known interior furnishing manufacturers has set itself the aim of promoting sustainability in furnishings. With its in-house selected "Sustained Colours", the organisation recommends colours and paint-material combinations that will still be contemporary in years to come and so help to promote sustainable values in interior design. Environmentally-friendly and innovative product development go hand in hand at Erfurt to enable it to remain at the cutting edge: the R&D department is continuously working on creating future-centric wallcoverings that fulfil the growing demands for sustainability. At the same time, existing products are improved and production processes optimised. In order to ensure that its sustainable wallcoverings retain their good life cycle assessment further down the line, as a partner to the trade, Erfurt also supports decorators with information and clever practical tips. This service represents real added value for professionals: after all, decorators that can offer professional consultancy and implementation when it comes to the on-trend topic of healthy wall design have a genuine competitive edge.
