93 INTERVIEW Fabric manufacturer Morbern Europe has long prioritised sustainability. The company was one of the first manufacturers to eliminate heavy metals from its production, and it has continuously developed new sustainability initiatives to continue driving innovation. “At Morbern Europe, we are committed to an ‘Earth friendly’ agenda in all aspects of our business,” says Mark Bloomfield, CEO and owner of Morbern Europe. “By making sustainability a core part of our beliefs, we build a better future for our customers, employees, neighbours and the planet.” At the heart of this strategy are Morbern Europe’s vinyl-coated fabrics, which can be used throughout all areas of a ship and offer a sustainable alternative to polyurethane (PU) fabrics. “Unlike PU fabrics, which are prone to peeling and cracking due to poor hydrolysis, vinyl maintains its integrity, leading to less waste over time,” says Carine Equeter, vice president of Morbern Europe. “Another advantage of vinyl is its composition; over 50 per cent comes from common salt, making it less dependent on fossil fuels. Additionally, vinyl is easily recyclable and there are many facilities dedicated to re-melting and repurposing it into useful products” The commitment to sustainability is evident in the materials Morbern Europe uses in all of its fabrics, with each collection featuring different innovations. “Sustainability is at the heart of Morbern Europe’s offering; all of our International Maritime Organization Maritime Equipment Directivecertified fabrics are free of phthalate plasticisers, persistent organic pollutants and per- and polyfluoroalkyls ahead of regulations coming into effect in 2030,” says Equeter. “Our MORgreen collection showcases our most iconic eco-friendly products, from recycled polyester backing and high bio-content, to OekoTex Class 1-certified fabrics.” Morbern Europe is continuing to research ways to make its products more sustainable. “We’re already working on a new fabric range for the MORgreen collection which will take us over our existing 250 stocked products offering – adding new grains, colours reflective of current trends without compromising our environmental commitment,” says Equeter. “Our EvoHide composition already boasts 81 per cent sustainable content, our R&D team are working to increase this further, with an ambitious objective to achieve 95 per cent sustainable content by the end of 2025.” Transforming textiles Mark Bloomfield and Carine Equeter of Morbern Europe talk with Alex Smith about how the company is pioneering a new generation of sustainable fabrics “ Sustainability is at the heart of Morbern Europe’s offering” Carine Equeter Morbern Europe’s EvoHide fabrics are made from 81 per cent sustainable content
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